After finishing his e-mail to his colleague Nakari Suzomi, Yuugi hit 'send' and reclined into his seat, allowing himself the luxury of a short break. His job was demanding and hectic, but he loved every minute of it. Suzomi-san was a colleague from KaibaCorp., Kaiba Seto's company who often worked together with Pegasus J. Crawford's Industrial Illusions. Right now, they were cooperating on a re-launch of the Duel Monsters game. Funny how history repeated itself, Yuugi mused. When he was fifteen, the game had been an incredible craze, leading to his title of King of Games after winning the Duelist Kingdom, Battle City and KaibaCorp. Grand Prix tournaments. After that, Duel Monsters had been overtaken by other games and had faded into the background. Now it had made a total comeback and the 'old school' cards fetched impressive prices as collectors' items. Yuugi couldn't recall when he had played the game for the last time, but it brought back very fond memories. It had brought him his own Pharaoh, and he was every God and Gods grateful for Atemu.
Yuugi stretched and yawned. Fortunately, Pegasus wasn't as strict with working hours as Kaiba, he was quite a relaxed employer in general. He had provided Yuugi with a large office, filled with arcade games, Funny Bunny plushies and colorful wall scrolls. It was nothing compared to his desk, which Yuugi had decorated himself with pictures of his family. Every time he looked at them, a warm smile appeared on his face and his heart filled with love. The leftmost picture was a school picture of Tzuziko, their eldest daughter, who had recently celebrated her fifteenth birthday. With her two friends, Hamasaki Machiko and Sato Risuka, they had spent the entire day visiting a science fair and an exhibit at the local museum instead of going to the movies or flirting with boys at the local Burger World. She wore glasses and much to her frustration and dismay, also braces. The thick-rimmed, black-framed glasses posed no problem, but she had vehemently objected to the braces. It had taken both Atemu and Yuugi a lot of time and effort to convince the girl that it was really for her benefit and that the braces were temporary. Tzuziko looked way older than fifteen and disliked everything and anything girlish, ranging from the color pink, flowers, and fashion to reading tabloids. She was constantly researching and examining, investigating and questioning; her thirst for knowledge was truly insatiable.
Next to her picture was one of Kazuo, taken at a rare moment the boy actually sat still. Rambunctious and quick to start a fight, Kazuo was more than a handful. He took his aggression mostly out on Atemu, disobedient and rebellious at the former Pharaoh's every word. Even Yuugi often had a hard time dealing with him, no matter how much patience or loved he showed. Kazuo had been tested for ADD and other attention deficit disorders, but no test reached a final conclusion or diagnosis. Atemu suspected that it had something to do with Kazuo's birth mother being on drugs while pregnant, the substances leaving a livelong mark on the baby. His friendship with another rowdy boy, Fujimoto Daisuke, often got him in trouble. His school results were abysmal and he talked back to whoever he wanted, without showing the least bit of respect.
The middle picture was of Atemu himself, which Yuugi had snapped when he had caught him lost in thoughts. It was rare for Atemu to let his guard down, and with his face relaxed like this, he looked so much younger. The grey strands in his hair, just above and behind his ears, had nothing to do with his age, or so Yuugi thought - the man he loved was still as energetic and busy as ever, not showing signs of slowing down anywhere, and certainly not in the bedroom. That thought made Yuugi's cheeks turn a colorful red, and he quickly looked at the next picture, to the right.
At eight, Akina was the stereotype of a little princess. She loved pink, ballet, ponies and anything that sparkled or glittered. She envied Tzuziko's ballerina lamp, given to her by Anzu when she was adopted into the Mutou family. Anzu's gift to Akina was a beautiful jewelry set, consisting of a necklace, a ring, a bracelet and earrings, but she had taken up an irrational jealousy for the ballerina lamp, the only 'girly' piece of furniture Tzuziko possessed. Akina smiled brightly in the picture, totally at ease and enjoying the attention of the photographer. It was an official school picture, and Akina was praised for being cute and sweet. Her first day at school had been traumatic, though. She didn't want to go to school, hating to leave her safe place at home, where she had more than enough attention and where she could perform her acting, singing and dancing in front of an encouraging, applauding audience. The thought of not having her fathers around caused huge hissy fits and plenty of tears. Atemu suggested to homeschool her, but despite Akina being the apple of his eye, he didn't want to favor one child over the others and so she was enrolled into public school as well. As soon as she made some friends though, Akina discovered that she had even more of an audience, both at home and at school, and after a few weeks, she had adjusted to the new, daily routine in her life.
The picture of Yuugi's mother was doing her kind face justice. Mutou Yusuke aged gracefully, spending her time doing volunteer work, helping out others and maintaining her huge social network. Yuugi's father wasn't in the picture. He didn't play a part in Yuugi's life any more, as he was always away for business, but he never reached out to his son. His absence had made Yuugi doubt his own abilities as a father, leading up to a big fight with Atemu. After the storm had settled, Yuugi made the painful decision to forget about his father and concentrate on his own family instead.
The rightmost picture was of the entire family, taken by Anzu at the picnic a couple of years ago. He didn't remember how Anzu had made it happen, but suddenly she had every Mutou close to the table and snap, the picture was taken. It was a funny, relaxed and totally natural picture; even Tzuziko's lips were curled (her idea of a smile), and Kazuo had just stuffed his face with potato salad, dropping a huge gob of it on his shirt: his expression was simply priceless. Yes, this was one of his favorite pictures. Yuugi reached for the frames and shuffled them around a little. Unexpected, he heard a polite cough, coming from the door opening.
"Nakamura-san," Yuugi said, recognizing Pegasus' secretary. "What can I do for you?"
"Mutou-san, Crawford-sama wants to see you in his office," the woman said, surprising Yuugi with the formal request. Pegasus J. Crawford could be polite if he wanted to, but he usually swept into the office and made his demands known. It was highly unusual for him to send his secretary over.
"Thank you, Nakamura-san," Yuugi said. "I'll go right away."
"Enter," Pegasus said as soon as Yuugi knocked on the door. The American looked up from his Funny Bunny comic when Yuugi stepped into his office, decorated with more cartoons and comics than anyone could ever think of.
"Sit down, Yuugi-boi," he said invitingly, pointing at the chair in front of his desk. "How are the wife and kids?"
"Everyone's doing fine, Pegasus-san," Yuugi answered, slightly amused. "Tzuziko-chan is selecting universities. She's even looking across the border: Harvard, Princeton, Yale." He didn't bother to hide the pride in his voice. "Kazuo-kun has less interest in school, but he tries hard to get good grades." It was a slight lie. Kazuo was intelligent enough, but his short attention span and destructive behavior made it hard for him to focus and actually study. "Akina-chan really likes going to school, she's quite popular. Mou hito... Atemu-san is doing well in his business."
"Good, good." The eccentric American put his comic away and laced his fingers together. "It's time to talk some serious business, Yuugi-boi. You might've noticed that I'm not as much in the office as I used to be. I've been absent from board meetings for quite a while now. I've lead I2 to the best of my abilities, with the good fortune of having loyal and dedicated employees like yourself."
Yuugi listened attentively. He'd never seen Pegasus so... grave before. He was pleased with the compliment, though. Was this the moment for him to get a raise? It would be extremely welcome, with Tzuziko selecting prestigious, expensive universities and Akina desiring to go to an art, dance or performance school, not the cheapest around either.
"As you know, I'm a painter and I want to paint, Yuugi-boi. No, not you. I've been sorely neglecting it, as I had I2 to think of – business before pleasure and all that. However, I've been retreating more and more from my position as CEO. I've entered negotiations with Kaiba-boi as of late, and I've decided to sell Industrial Illusions and all its knowledge and manpower to him."
Yuugi's mouth went slack. Now that was a surprise. Yuugi had ignored the rumors going around, of Pegasus' attention to his own company slowing down, not wanting to participate in any gossiping. He had worked for both Kaiba and Pegasus on several projects, but the news that his original employer had sold his business to KaibaCorp.? He needed a moment to process this information. "I... I don't know what to say, Pegasus-san." He wondered why the other was telling him all of this. Shouldn't Pegasus be announcing this to the board of executives instead of an employee?
The tall American didn't answer, but got up from his chair. With a swiping movement, he picked up a sheet of paper lying on his desk, and handed it to Yuugi.
"You were the first to give me a second chance, and you've always been a loyal employee. Read it, it's for you."
Yuugi took the sheet of paper and studied it for a moment. "What's this?" he said, as he couldn't make heads or tails out of the legal writing.
"This document, once you've signed it, makes you for 1,5 percent shareholder in Industrial Illusions, soon to be KaibaCorp.. I won't bother you with the technical, fiscal and legal talk, but let me put it into small words: you're going to be a shareholder in one of the world's, if not the world's, biggest and mightiest gaming businesses."
"I-I can't accept this, Pegasus-san!"
"Yes, you can, and you will, or else I will send it by courier to your Pharaoh-boi," Pegasus said. "He wouldn't hesitate to sign. Take it. It's the least I can do for you."
"But..." Yuugi was confused. Shareholder? 1,5%? That was... a lot of money, wasn't it? He was so overwhelmed that he accepted Pegasus' extended hand and bowed to him simultaneously, eluding a chuckle from the CEO.
"Th-thank you, Pegasus-san."
"You're welcome, Yuugi-boi. Remember me as the eccentric jerk I am, not as the unemotional jerk Kaiba is."
"Tadaima!" Yuugi hollered as usual. He exchanged his shoes for his house slippers. Akina came rushing to him, her long, elegant strides reminding him of Anzu's grace when they were still at high school.
"Akina-chan!"
"Hikari Papa!" She hugged him. Yuugi returned the hug fondly. She was the last one of the three kids to use "Hikari Papa" and "Yami Papa" for Yuugi and Atemu. The other children had switched to "otou-san" when calling for Yuugi, and the much more formal "otou-sama" when Atemu was concerned. It was a little bit of a loss, or so Yuugi thought; a little bit of loss of youth and innocence, a sign that they were really growing up... and they were already growing up so fast.
"How was school today, Akina-chan?"
She made a face. "We have so much homework! I want to know if I'm going to be in the school's play!"
"You'll have to wait until the end of the year, sweetheart," Yuugi said. He was convinced she was going to get the main part anyway. "You have to focus on your schoolwork first." He tapped her nose. "Life can't be all fun and games, unfortunately. Now, what's for dinner?"
"Omurice," she said. "Bah, eggs!"
"I'm sure Yami Papa will leave the eggs out of your plate." Yuugi broke up the hug and ruffled Akina's hair a bit, eliciting an offended yelp. "Go start the preparations, dear?"
The girl walked away, plucking at her hair to get it straightened out again, while Yuugi went searching for Atemu. He was sure he could find his lover in his study, the small office that used to be a part of the former stock room. Yuugi pushed the door further open.
"Mou hitori no boku, I'm home."
"There you are, aibou." Atemu looked at him over the rim of his reading glasses. He put his paperwork to the side as Yuugi walked over to him for a kiss. "How was work today?"
"Weird," Yuugi said.
"Weird?"
Nodding, Yuugi reached for the inside of his pocket and pulled out the papers Pegasus had given him.
"What is this?" Atemu took it from him and started reading. After a couple of minutes, he frowned. "So... if I understand correctly, you are now a share holder of Industrial Illusions?"
"Something like that," Yuugi said. He blushed. Kaiba wasn't going to like this. "Pegasus-san explained it to me. And it's soon going to be KaibaCorp.. Pegasus-san decided to sell I2."
"Sell? But what about your job?"
"He said that he was selling the company with all its knowledge and manpower," Yuugi repeated the American's words. "I think I'm safe, mou hitori no boku."
"Good, good… Kaiba is going to have a meltdown the size of Europe," Atemu said, and an uncharacteristically wicked grin showed on his face.
"Mou hitori no boku! You shouldn't be amused by that!"
"You do realize what this means, though?" Atemu waved the papers at him.
"I'm not sure if I understand the full scope of it…"
"This means we do not have to worry about the college funds for the kids," Atemu said, "or if anything, Gods forbid, bad happens to either one of us. KaibaCorp. is a solid company and these shares provide us financial security."
Yuugi all but flung himself into Atemu's arms. If they never had to worry about money again, that would be amazing! He never asked how they were coming by. The main income was his salary of course, but he had to support a demanding family of five – six, including his mother - and a fair share of bills. As much as Yuugi encouraged Atemu's antique store, he was smart enough to realize it wasn't thriving with profits. Atemu imported antiquities like artifacts and furniture on demand only, as he had an excellent taste and eye on what was real or fake, especially when it came to Ancient Egypt handwork, obviously. Atemu never complained about money, and Yuugi never asked, as there was food, clothing and enough toys for the kids, which meant the most to him. Yuugi never occupied himself with the family's finances, he trusted Atemu to handle it.
"I'm so glad," he said, his voice muffled. "I'm not sure why Pegasus-san wanted me to have it, but he said that I was the only one to give him a second chance..."
"You are kind and strong, aibou," Atemu said, nuzzling his neck and pressing gentle kisses to his skin. "You always had a good, big heart. Your choice back then, is paying itself back right now."
"I never knew this was going to happen," Yuugi said.
"I am not saying you showed Pegasus kindness with any intention for profit," Atemu shushed him. "That is not who you are. You are honest and pure, and you gave the man a second chance, indeed. It would not have been my choice."
"My cruel, cruel Pharaoh," Yuugi teased him. "You would've mind-crushed him all the way back to the United States, wouldn't you?"
Atemu nodded. "I will never forgive him for the pain he caused you. But I am willing to settle for a couple of billions of yen."
"Mou hitori no boku!" Yuugi gasped dramatically, then he couldn't help himself and laughed. "Good to know that you value cold, hard cash so much! Why don't we get to the kitchen and have some dinner? I told Akina to start on the omurice."
"Sounds good to me. Go ahead, aibou. I need to finish this first."
"Don't take too long," Yuugi cajoled. Suddenly, something popped up in his mind. "Oh, have you packed already?"
Atemu shook his head. "I am not going to spend the night in Hokkaido. I will take the last train. That is not a problem, is it?"
"I rather have you home safe and sound." Yuugi didn't like the idea of Atemu traveling to Hokkaido to the antique fair. It was an annual convention for dealers in artifacts and antiquities to meet up and bid on unique, one-of-a-kind objects. He never accompanied Atemu to those fairs; they were so incredibly boring and dull, and he didn't share the same love for antique and ancient things as Atemu. "I'll wait up for you."
After one more kiss, he went to the kitchen to help Akina with dinner.
The news of I2's acquisition by KaibaCorp. made headlines the entire next week. The business section of the newspapers, corporate broadcasts and digital media talked about it non-stop. Kaiba Seto was all over the news, giving out interviews and press conferences. Yuugi didn't keep up with the news, too busy with his own job. He had to merge his team from I2 with employees of KaibaCorp., blending their experience and expertise into one, professional, smoothly operating group. It was hectic, but he didn't forget to deliver the signed paperwork to the legal department of KaibaCorp.. The heated phone call he expected came much sooner than he thought. Kaiba's secretary told him that Kaiba-sama expected him right away in his office, and he could hear the strain in her voice. Yuugi imagined Kaiba standing next to her and fuming, and decided to help the poor girl out. He made his way over to Kaiba's office immediately. She looked at him with gratitude in her eyes and didn't even bother to announce him. Yuugi simply walked in, but he couldn't help the sinking feeling in his stomach as he approached Kaiba's desk.
"He made you WHAT?" Kaiba roared, as usual not spending time on pleasant small-talk. Yuugi flinched from the loudness of his voice.
"Kaiba-kun, it wasn't my decision. Pegasus-san gave me the paperwork…"
"And you signed it," Kaiba said, narrowing his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me? Mokuba and I are supposed to be the only shareholders of KaibaCorp.. It's right there in the name: KaibaCorp.. Not MutouCorp.!"
"Pegasus-san gave it to me, I didn't realize I had to run it by you. He told me about how he was..."
"I'm not interested in Pegasus's personal revelations," Kaiba said, looking irritated. "It wasn't the deal! I was supposed to get 100% of I2's shares, not 98,5%!"
"If it's such a huge burden to bear, you can always buy me out." Some of Kaiba's irritation rubbed off on Yuugi. "Pegasus-san wanted to show me his appreciation, and so he did. It would look better on you if you'd agree, instead of throwing a hissy fit."
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Kaiba's voice was menacingly low. Yuugi felt embarrassed about his sudden outburst.
"I'm sorry Kaiba-kun, I didn't mean to offend you. But I really don't understand why it upsets you so much. It's just 1,5 %. It doesn't give me any executive power, so I don't see how or why it would affect you so much."
"This is my company," Kaiba said. "My company, and no one else's. I don't want anyone else to have any part of it, be it one percent or not! Even so, Pegasus should've told me what he was planning to do. It feels like he stabbed me in the back."
Yuugi was baffled. "Are you serious? Kaiba-kun, I'm your friend! I would never..."
"I told you about friendship before," Kaiba said, "that it doesn't apply to me. Not while we were in High School, and not while we're employer and employee. You're damn good at what you do and I wouldn't like to lose such an asset, but that's all there is to it. Not friendship."
"I feel sorry for you, Kaiba-kun," Yuugi said, voice uncharacteristically cold. "To regard people around you as an 'asset'. How horrible lonely and empty must your life be, to spend all your time working, missing out on love, friends and family, if only for a moment."
"It's my life," Kaiba answered, just as cold.
"True. You have every right to live your life as you like it. But that doesn't mean I feel less sorry for you. I wish you could feel and see love in your life. From a friend, a partner, a family. To feel something else but the stress of work, or the pressure of the outside world."
"I think I have quite enough of this lecture, Mutou," Kaiba said, voice even colder, if that was possible.
Yuugi didn't stop, not yet. "It's your life, indeed. But have you ever thought of the people around you? Do you even know the name of Mokuba-kun's girlfriend?"
"Leave Mokuba out of this."
"Just as you leave him out of your life?"
"Get out," Kaiba said in such a growling, low voice that a shiver went down Yuugi's spine. He made a polite bow and left the office. He wasn't sure why he was still alive. Somehow Kaiba allowed him to get away with much more than any other employee. Slightly shaking, he went past Kaiba's secretary; the girl stared at him with pure disbelief in her eyes. Apparently she had expected him to get killed by her boss - if he hadn't been the company's top designer… Yuugi didn't want to think about it. He hurried back to his office.
As he was going through the latest designs, his cell phone rang. He checked the display. Unknown number.
"Moshi moshi?"
"This is Ikehara Satoshi from Domino City Police Department," a fairly gruff voice on the other side of the line. Yuugi's heart skipped a beat. Atemu. Kaa-san. One of the kids. What could've happened?
"Yes, Ikehara-sama?" Yuugi's voice trembled.
"You are a relative of Mutou Kazuo?"
"Yes, I'm his father," Yuugi said. "What happened?" Please…Gods, please… don't let him be hurt…
"I'm sorry to tell you this, Mutou-san, but I like you to come down to the police station. It concerns your son."
"Wh-what? What happened?"
"Please come down to the police station, where we can discuss details, Mutou-san," the officer repeated.
"Y-yes, I'll be on my way," Yuugi stammered and stared at his phone as the line went dead. Kazuo..? What had he done? He wanted to call Atemu but remembered he was at the antique dealer's convention in Hokkaido. Calling him would be fruitless; he had to deal with this himself. Worried, Yuugi gathered his things and told his secretary he would be out of the office for today. Fortunately, he was ahead of his deadlines.
Nervous, Yuugi entered the police station. He had never been here before, and had hoped never to be here. The police force intimidated him, even though he had nothing to fear; he'd always been on the good side of the law, and Atemu and the kids as well… until now. What had Kazuo done? Now that it concerned his son, it made Yuugi feel queasy, and scared. Totally lost and wishing that Atemu was with him, he looked around until he spotted the reception area.
"Yes? Can I help you?" The woman behind the tall desk stared at him as if he was a potential criminal.
"I'm looking for Ikehara-sama," Yuugi said. "It's about my son, Mutou Kazuo?"
"One moment please." The woman picked up her phone, pushed a few buttons and said:
"Yes. Yes, Mutou-san to see you." After she was finished, she said: "Please wait over there, Mutou-san."
Yuugi slinked of to the waiting area, and awkwardly greeted the people already sitting there. He didn't receive many greetings in return; everyone looked restless, it was obvious that no one was feeling at ease. What kind of dramatic news was in store for them? Yuugi sat down and felt his stomach acting up. He couldn't stop his thoughts from going into every direction, and he kept wondering what Kazuo had done. If something bad had happened to his son, the police wouldn't make him wait here, would they? The officer on the phone hadn't said that Kazuo was injured… so what else could've happened? He wanted to know! No matter how horrible the truth was, he wanted to know….
"Mutou-san?" Yuugi jumped out of his skin when he heard his name and he quickly got out of his seat. Ikehara Satoshi didn't look like the big, burly and scary man Yuugi had imagined while talking to him on the phone. In fact, he looked quite young and sympathetic. He wasn't in uniform, wearing dark blue slacks and a white dress shirt instead.
"Let's go to my office, Mutou-san. I'm glad you could make it so quickly. Coffee? Tea?"
"Eh, no, thank you, Ikehara-sama."
"-san, please," the man said, his tone of voice friendly. He led Yuugi through a labyrinth of hallways. It was remarkable how a building could look so small on the outside, but be so… large and confusing on the inside. Yuugi wanted to turn around and run. "I understand you're nervous, Mutou-san, but hopefully we can deal with this quickly and easily." Ikehara halted and opened the door to his office. He allowed Yuugi to step in first. "It's the first time your son has been caught, but from his modus operandi, we could tell it wasn't his first time shoplifting."
Shoplifting! Yuugi's face fell. Hoping to be reunited with Kazuo in the office, he was disappointed to see the empty, small room, sparsely furnished with a desk and two chairs. Ikehara settled behind the desk and started tapping on the keyboard, booting up the computer. Yuugi was silent and overwhelmed. He sat down, folding his hands into his lap.
"We received a call from Mitsukoshi this morning," Ikehara said. "Two young boys got caught shoplifting an iPad and when confronted, they threw the merchandise on the floor and ran away. They were both detained by the department store's security before being handed over to us, and well… they were pretty feisty and resisted their arrest."
"How awful. I'm so, so sorry," Yuugi said, as he tried to process it all. The image of his son stealing and fighting… wait… two young boys? "The other boy… could he be Fujimoto Daisuke?"
Ikehara showed him an understanding smile. "I'm not allowed to disclose this information, Mutou-san. Why are you guessing this?"
"Fujimoto-kun has been friends with my son for a few years," Yuugi answered. "I don't think he has a good influence on Kazuo-kun. He brings out the worst in him, constantly challenging and daring him… only up until now, nothing law-breaking. Fujimoto-kun knows the consequences, but Kazuo-kun fails to understand that. He has a quick temper and is easily to aggravate, especially when his courage or honor is questioned. I'm very sure that Fujimoto-kun has instigated this matter, but that doesn't excuse my son from participating. He should've known better."
Ikehara listened attentively. "He's still very young."
"Barely thirteen," Yuugi said.
"Boys can… what's the expression… egg each other on. At this age, they're very susceptible to group pressure," Ikehara said. "If there's someone they look up to, and they want to win his approval, there's no limit to how far they will go. It takes some real strength to say 'no' when a whole group is putting the pressure on you."
"I have been, and I still am, very fortunate to have a group of friends who never asked such things of me." Yuugi couldn't imagine Anzu, Honda, Jounouchi or Otogi pressuring him into doing something that would go against everything he believed in. On the other hand, Yuugi realized how unique his circle of friend was. They had always supported and respected him, accepting him for who he was, including him in their lives… Kazuo desperately wanted Daisuke's respect, he wanted his acceptance, looking up to his 'friend' and as such, he did things without realizing the consequences. Kazuo had always been rowdy and eager to use his fists instead of his head - and Daisuke knew how to manipulate him perfectly.
"Raising children is difficult, Mutou-san," Ikehara interrupted his thoughts. "I have two sons myself, and even I want to ship them off to an uninhabited island every now and then."
"Two sons? How old?"
"Fourteen and eleven. Don't get me wrong, Mutou-san, I'm not here to pass any kind of judgment on you. I'm not here to tell you're a bad parent. I know how we would all love to keep our children safe, healthy and on the right path, no matter where it takes them in life. But the truth is, we have to let them go and allow them to live their lives on their own, including making mistakes. We also made mistakes when we were young. And just like your son, we had to face the consequences."
"That's true," Yuugi said.
"It's going to take some paperwork to get your son released," Ikehara said. His fingers danced over the keyboard. Suddenly, he tilted his head. "I want to ask you a question, Mutou-san. Your son explicitly asked me to call you, not 'the other one'."
Yuugi shivered. Fear crept into his body. Was the police going to call the adoption agency? Was Ooshimuru going to take the children away? His voice wavered. "I'm his father. Officially, I'm his adoptive father, but I regard him as my own son. My partner… is another man. We both raise the children, and Kazuo is our middle child, our only son. He's always been quite defiant to my partner. For some reason, he reacts always with violence - my son, not my partner."
Yuugi slouched a little in his chair, ready for a look of disgust or a snide comment, but neither one came. Ikehara simply nodded and added more words to the report he was typing.
"If you want me to, I can give you contact information of professional counselors to help you with any questions or problems concerning parenting," Ikehara said, "for children who need more guidance…" his voice trailed off, but Yuugi got the idea. Counselors! Atemu would blow a gasket. Even so, it wouldn't be a bad thing to get a little extra support, especially not if it would help Kazuo.
"I'll finish up the paperwork, Mutou-san. A prosecutor will determine what's going to happen next. You can take Kazuo home for now. Because it's the first time he's been caught, the prosecutor might be lenient, but he'll also read in my report that it wasn't the first time Kazuo has shoplifted. Whether it's going to be a fine or juvenile training school, I'm not sure."
"I understand." Yuugi shivered once more. Juvenile training school? It sounded incredibly ominous. Had he failed so much in Kazuo's upbringing that his son had to be… re-educated? Silent once more, he waited until Ikehara was done processing his report and all the other paperwork. Yuugi desperately wanted to know where Kazuo was and how he was doing. He felt lonely without Atemu, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he had failed. Despite everything, Kazuo wasn't that easily influenced by others. Daisuke could only push him so far, couldn't he? Kazuo stood up for himself: if he really didn't want to do something, then no one could change his mind. Atemu had battled him long and often enough, two headstrong characters colliding; but Kazuo had always made his own mind up. This had to be his decision, a choice he made consciously: to go shoplifting, together with Daisuke. But for what? The excitement? The tension of getting caught? And he had done this before... how long was this going on? How could they not have noticed?
"I'm finished, Mutou-san," Ikehara said. "Sign this paperwork and then you can take your son home."
"Thank you so much, Ikehara-san, for everything," Yuugi said as he grabbed a pen and quickly scrawled his autograph. Both men stood up; Yuugi bowed to Ikehara. Much to his relief, the man returned the gesture.
"One more thing, Mutou-san. This is a turning point for your son. He has been caught; now is the time for him to realize the consequences, or else I fear he'll be back here sooner than he'd like to."
"I understand." Yuugi's voice was a trembling mess. Ikehara's face softened, but he didn't add more. He guided Yuugi out of his office and went ahead to a row of detaining cells, located in the very back of the police station: cold and grey. With a minor gesture, a policeman opened one of the cells and Yuugi rushed into the cold, small room, finding his son sitting on a hard bench. Kazuo looked up, relief washing over his face when he saw Yuugi. He got up from the bench, rubbing his posterior, and remained standing, stubborn and silent. Yuugi was sorely disappointed, but then again, Kazuo had never been quick to hug or show his feelings.
"Kazuo-kun, let's go home," he said.
"Yes, otou-san," the boy mumbled. Yuugi didn't extend his hand to him, knowing that he wouldn't take it anyway. With a last nod at Ikehara, Yuugi walked away, Kazuo in tow. They left the police station and only when he was outside, inhaling the fresh air, Yuugi felt he could breathe again. Kazuo stood next to him, his face expressionless.
"Can I get something to drink, otou-san? They wouldn't let me have anything."
"Sure." Yuugi didn't see why he should deny Kazuo his simple request and on their way to the subway station, they halted at a vending machine to buy two cans of soda. Kazuo muttered a barely audible 'thank you', ripped open the can and eagerly gulped the drink. Yuugi opened his own can and took a few sips. He handed the can to Kazuo, who had no trouble downing the rest.
"Kazuo-kun…"
"I don't want to talk about it. I want to go home."
"You know we can't just ignore this," Yuugi said. "And 'the other one' is going to be livid when he hears about this."
Kazuo merely shrugged. "So what? What's he going to make me do? Say the Ancient Egyptian alphabet ten times?"
Yuugi choose not to answer that. Without another word, they walked over to the subway station and waited for their train to arrive.
"How's Daisuke-kun?" Yuugi tried once more for a conversation.
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since that store guard separated us. He's probably still at the police station." Another shrug.
"His parents don't come to pick him up?"
"Don't know. They work all the time."
"Kazuo-kun… an iPad? You never asked for it, not even for your birthday." The shrugging was infuriating. Yuugi could see that Kazuo was uncomfortable, albeit not about the shoplifting. Something else was bothering him, and the boy was struggling with it, whatever it was. "Tell me what's wrong, Kazuo-kun."
"Not here!" Kazuo hissed at him as he looked around. Nobody was paying attention to them, the crowd too busy minding their own business, but Yuugi understood. He apologized to Kazuo, it hadn't been his intention to embarrass him in public. He decided to leave him for now and was relieved to see the train arrive.
Back at home, Kazuo went to his room. Yuugi followed him, and watched his son flop on his belly on his bed. This used to be the stock room; even though the walls had been repainted and the room itself separated into Kazuo's bedroom and Atemu's study, Yuugi still had vivid memories of his grandfather shuffling around, going through the boxes with Duel Monsters booster packs and sorting his merchandise. He shook the memory for now.
"Tell me what's going on, Kazuo-kun, please."
"Nothing. It was just a stupid dare. Daisuke told me I was a chicken; I could prove him otherwise by bringing him the iPad."
"Daisuke-kun doesn't need to tell you what to do."
"I know. It's just…"
"It's not about the dare, is it?" Yuugi sat down on the bed, at Kazuo's feet. "You're far too stubborn to take someone's orders, and you know very well what's right and what's wrong. I don't care about the iPad. I don't even care about the shoplifting, but I do care about what's bothering you. You're my son, and I want to know what's going on."
"I'm not your son," Kazuo said, albeit muffled; he had buried his face into the pillow, his fingers tugging at the fabric. Yuugi closed his eyes for a brief moment. All three children were well aware of them being adopted. Tzuziko didn't care about it, and Akina had been unfazed when she was told; her next question was if she could be a princess for her next birthday. Of course, Kazuo had to be the one to pull the 'I'm not your son, you're not my father' card.
"To me, you are my son," Yuugi said. "I care for you, Kazuo-kun. Please, tell me what's bothering you. If this is about your mother… Ooshimuru has her name and address. If you want me to, I can call the agency and ask them to establish contact." He hoped it was still possible; Kazuo's mother was a drug addict, and after her son's birth she had walked out of the hospital in search of her next shot. He hoped she was still alive.
"It's not about that!" Kazuo's voice was still muffled by the pillow. His entire body tensed up. "I couldn't care less!"
"Kazuo-kun…"
"They're making fun of me!" He turned his head, screaming out loud. "They're making fun of me!"
"Who?" Yuugi was confused. Who was bullying his son?
"The kids at school." Kazuo lowered his voice, as if embarrassed to speak. "They tell me that I'll never grow up to be a real man, with…"
"… two fathers," Yuugi finished the sentence for him. He didn't want to know how the 'kids at school' would describe his relationship with Atemu. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Kazuo-kun. I didn't know."
"I haven't told you, until now." Yuugi's heart broke when he saw something glimmer at the edge of Kazuo's eyes. His tough son had barely cried before. Now he started to understand where the aggression came from, particularly aimed at Atemu.
"I'm glad you told me. Now I understand what's going on."
"Daisuke's my friend," Kazuo said and hastily rubbed at his face when a tear made its way down. "But I hate him so much when he starts about you and Atemu..! He keeps nagging that it's not normal, that I'll never get a girl, that no one will see me as a man!"
"Kazuo-kun, a real friend would never tell you such things." Yuugi carefully put his hand on Kazuo's shoulder, ready to withdraw if the boy would shake him off. "A real friend would tell you how happy he is for you to have a family and a home. A real friend would encourage you and be proud of you, not dare you to do things that can turn out bad or illegal."
"I don't want people to think that I'm like you," Kazuo said. Now he couldn't stop the tears from rolling down. "I just want a father and a mother, not him!"
"Atemu is the man I love," Yuugi said firmly. "He's the other half of my soul, Kazuo-kun." More than you could ever know. "I'm sorry if it causes you grief or pain, I really am. But this is who I am, and I can't change it. We both love you, as our son, as the person you are. If someone else has trouble with us or our relationship, it's his or her problem."
"No, it's my problem. I get picked on at school!"
"Kazuo-kun, I've been bullied as well," Yuugi said. "I know how lonely it feels. It's such a shame when children do that to each other. Do you want me to talk to one of your senseis..?"
"No, that will make it even worse." Kazuo propped his face back into the pillows. "Why couldn't you have married Anzu?"
"Honorifics, Kazuo-kun," Yuugi gently reminded him. He lightly squeezed his shoulder. This ran much deeper than he thought. Kazuo was as high-strung as a kite, his body completely tensed up. "I'm sorry, but I don't have the feelings a man should have for a woman. I have those feelings for Atemu, with all my heart and soul."
"Anyone but him!" Kazuo used the pillow case to wipe the tears from his face. He was too young to understand how hurtful his words were, how much pain they caused. Yuugi felt like his heart was shredded to pieces.
"Is it because he's Atemu, or because he's a man?" Yuugi asked, carefully. Atemu would be devastated if Kazuo hated him… Yuugi held his breath. Kazuo shrugged again, brusquely.
"Daisuke's father's never at home. At least Atemu helps me with school." He fumbled for a handkerchief to blow his nose. "He's not bad as a tutor. But I don't want him as my father."
Yuugi didn't know what to say. He was grateful that Atemu wasn't here to overhear these harsh words. It pained him, a crippling devastating pain in his heart. Atemu had felt Kazuo's resistance of course, but he had never complained or reacted with the same aggression to his son. How could they have missed all of this, not knowing what was going on? Yuugi got up from the bed and ruffled the boy's hair. Kazuo made a noncommittal sound but he didn't pull away.
"Tomorrow's a school day," Yuugi said. "Do you have homework left?"
"A little." He didn't meet Yuugi's eyes. "When's Atemu going to be home?"
"Late. You'll be asleep by then." He was at the door. "Kazuo-kun… how long has this been going on?"
The boy fidgeted and plucked at the fabric of his bed linens, but still he didn't meet Yuugi's eyes. "A couple of months," he whispered.
"What did you steal?"
"Candy, at first. Stupid things. Pens, a chocolate bar, a T-shirt… what we didn't eat, we just tossed away, or Daisuke took it home. The iPad… it was the biggest dare."
Not one word of apology, not the slightest remorse… or was he feeling guilty after all? Yuugi couldn't tell. The sickening feeling in his stomach got only worse, with every confession. He gave Kazuo a reassuring smile nonetheless. "Do your homework, please? I'll call you later for dinner."
Mutou Yusuke was at a charity fund raising event and had promised to pick up Akina from school. Tzuziko was old and reliable enough to travel home by public transport. The house was empty, safe for Yuugi and Kazuo. He started dinner, even though he wasn't focused on cooking. He replayed the discussion with both Ikehara and Kazuo over and over in his mind, the painful words standing out. But I don't want him as my father. Before they started the adoption procedure, Yuugi and Atemu had discussed about the inevitable moment the children were going to ask about their biological parents, and like Kazuo, question or have difficulties with their adoptive parents. They had decided to be honest at all times, and support their children no matter what - but to hear it, being said almost casually, I don't want him as my father, caused so much pain. Yuugi dreaded the moment his mother would come home, not to mention when Atemu would return from Hokkaido. How were they going to take the news? He made dinner, but set the food aside as he didn't feel hungry. Kazuo didn't come out of his room either. When Yusuke and Akina came home, Yuugi took his mother aside to tell her everything. She reacted horrified; she hadn't expected this at all. She promised not to interfere and leave it to Atemu and Yuugi to deal with the situation, but the saddened look on her face spoke volumes. She was so upset that she missed dinner. Akina was excited about another school play and kept talking about it, completely oblivious to the tension in the household. Yuugi welcomed her enthusiastic chattering, it was a nice distraction. After putting the girl to bed, Yuugi did a little cleaning before he went into the living room and turned on the TV, waiting for Atemu.
It was half past ten in the evening when he heard the key slipping into the front door. He jumped off the couch and turned off the TV. He had waited patiently all these hours, watching game shows that didn't really hold his interest. Yuugi was half-way down the stairs when he spotted Atemu in the hallway, taking off his coat.
"Mou hitori no boku," he said and took the last few steps, hesitant all of the sudden.
"Aibou, it is so late! I thought you went to bed already." Atemu took off his shoes and changed them for the house slippers. "The train was not on time due to technical difficulties."
Yuugi approached him and slipped his arms around Atemu's waist. He laid his head against the other's chest; the former Pharaoh was slightly taller. "That's okay, mou hitori no boku. I'm glad you're home."
"Something the matter?"
Trust Atemu to immediately pick up on any disturbance, no matter how much Yuugi wanted to hide it from him. He didn't want to spoil Atemu's day, but this was too important to ignore.
"I need to talk to you about something," Yuugi said.
"All right." A soft kiss to his cheek. It was a small gesture, and it made Yuugi feel happy and sad at the same time. Happy, because he adored every and any kiss of the man he loved, but sad, because Kazuo had so many difficulties with their relationship. It almost felt tainted, and that saddened him even more. He shook his head. "Aibou?"
"You're tired. You had a long day. Maybe it's better to wait until tomorrow?"
"I am fine, really. Let me pour us something to drink and we will sit down and talk."
Yuugi paced back and forth in the living room. Out of habit, he straightened a few cushions on the sofa. It was close to midnight on a workday, and by all means, the both of them should be in bed right now, resting up for the next morning… He looked up in relief when Atemu returned with a soda for Yuugi and a glass of Chardonnay for himself, a rare guilty pleasure.
"Sit down aibou, and tell me," he simply said.
"I received a phone call today from the Domino City Police Force."
"What?"
"Kazuo-kun... he was arrested for shoplifting."
Atemu narrowed his eyes. He didn't explode as Yuugi expected, but the look in his eyes, filled with unspoken anger, sadness and disappointment, was even harder to bear. He didn't interrupt Yuugi when he told the rest of the story; how he had spoken with Ikehara, about Kazuo's behavior, and what the boy had confessed to him in the bedroom.
"Ikehara-san said that this was a turning point for Kazuo-kun," Yuugi said. "He needs to be disciplined, but how? He's not impressed with anything. If we take his games away, or TV, he'll just go to Daisuke-kun."
"I would rather not see him hang out with this boy," Atemu said. "I am sorry to say, but Daisuke is a toxic person. Kazuo does not need him in his life."
"We can't really forbid them from being friends, can we?"
"No, but we can try to diminish the amount of time they spend with each other." Atemu sipped the wine, and frowned. "But that is not the main problem. It is bad enough that he is being bullied, but it is even worse that he allows the taunts to get to him so much."
"Mou hitori no boku, it's not his fault," Yuugi said. "I mean, I know what it's like. It's horrible."
"You never resorted to shoplifting, aibou."
"No, but I was desperate to have a friend. So desperate, that I took a beating for two bullies, from an even worse bully."
"And then you finished the Puzzle," Atemu said.
"I didn't know about you at first," Yuugi admitted. "And frankly, you were quite scary in the beginning. But the Puzzle brought me friends - Jounouchi, Honda, Otogi, Anzu... but Kazuo-kun doesn't have a Puzzle and even so, he's so full with anger and rebellion…"
"... because he does not accept his two fathers," Atemu said. "He wants a father and a mother, that is why he is so fond of his grandmother. He does not accept me, simply because I am a man. I do not fit the perfect family picture."
"I'm sorry to burden you with all of this, mou hitori no boku. It's late. I should've waited until tomorrow."
"No aibou, this was too important." Atemu barely stifled a yawn. "Though I do need some sleep…"
Yuugi chuckled. "It's the wine. You always get super sleepy from alcohol. You need your rest. Go upstairs, mou hitori no boku. We'll continue talking in the morning."
"Yes, of course." Atemu pressed a kiss to Yuugi's forehead. He rubbed his eyes. They still had to discuss Kazuo's punishment and the next course of action. The boy was probably going to get a stern lecture no matter what, but not at this hour. It was way past midnight and Yuugi could feel fatigue settling in. He needed his rest as well. He hoped he would be able to sleep soundly. Yuugi picked up the empty glasses and brought them to the kitchen. As he was rinsing them, he heard a knock on the door. Someone at the door? At this hour? Atemu was already in the attic, everyone else was asleep. Yuugi went downstairs again and yes, he heard another knock - there was someone at the door, definitely. He turned on the outdoor light and carefully opened the door.
"Kaiba-kun?" His jaw went slack when he recognized the tall CEO.
"Yuugi," the other said with a brusque nod.
"Come in." Yuugi stepped aside, baffled. Kaiba strode in, as if it was perfectly normal to visit an employer after midnight. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"You were right," Kaiba said. "I don't even know the name of Mokuba's girlfriend."
"It's Yukimura Kiyomi," Yuugi said, in a friendly tone. He pointed to the stairs and Kaiba followed him. They went into the living room, the furthest away from the bedrooms. Yuugi turned around, facing Kaiba, curious to hear what he had to say.
"Mokuba told me he's moving out," Kaiba said, keeping his voice low. "To live together with his girlfriend."
"And that big mansion of yours is feeling a whole lot emptier right now, isn't it?"
Kaiba wanted to snort, but he failed. "Yes, you could say that," he admitted.
"Kaiba-kun, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things to you at the office," Yuugi apologized. "I didn't mean to imply that your life was bad..."
"I know I'm not the most excellent relationship material," Kaiba interrupted him, "but I do care about my brother."
"I know. Everyone knows."
"I should've known the name of his girlfriend." He looked somber. "My work is my life. KaibaCorp. is my life. I don't feel like I'm missing out."
"That's your choice, Kaiba-kun," Yuugi said. "And if you feel happy with that choice, then it's all right."
"Have you ever thought… that you would come to regret your choice?"
"No," Yuugi answered. "But I can understand it might feel that way, sometimes. Life's like that, Kaiba-kun. It can't be directed like a company."
"What about your family?" he asked abruptly.
"It's always been my wish, my desire, my choice to have one." Yuugi said. "More so, it wasn't even a choice; I always knew I was going to have a family, one way or the other. I never had to think about it." Kaiba remained silent. "Kaiba-kun, I'm not saying that you need a family to be happy. Some people are perfectly happy being single… and that doesn't mean they have to be alone or lonely. They have friends, relatives, acquaintances. I was very harsh to you. I'm standing by what I said, but I could've chosen my words differently."
"So what were the words you would've liked to use?"
"No man is an island," Yuugi said. "Not even you, Kaiba-kun."
Kaiba seemed to mull over these words, then he nodded. "It's getting late. I'll see you tomorrow at the office, 8 o'clock sharp. We have to discuss new projects and I need your input. I'll show myself out."
He stalked out of the living room before Yuugi could stop him, if he had bothered to try. He was puzzled by Kaiba's visit; had this been some kind of attempt to… be friendly, to reach out to him, or was this an attempt to discuss something… Yuugi didn't know what… Kaiba's life choices? Was he having regrets or doubts about how or who he was? Yuugi appreciated that Kaiba had visited him. No matter what the other thought, Yuugi regarded him as a friend. For the CEO to come visit him, to talk to him like this… and he hadn't mentioned anything about Yuugi being a shareholder. Maybe it was a step into a surprising, new direction. Kaiba had said 'I need your input', as a friend, not 'I want your input', as an employer. Maybe he should just leave it at that. From all the people he knew, Kaiba Seto was the hardest to fathom; and maybe that was just the way it was. Yuugi yawned. He was exhausted. He could barely drag himself up the stairs to the attic, to his bedroom. Dropping his clothes everywhere as he undressed himself, he slipped under the blankets and snuggled close to Atemu. The former Pharaoh moved his arm around Yuugi, sliding over his chest while mumbling something incoherent. Yuugi thought the other was going to wake up and waited breathlessly for a moment, but no, he was sound asleep. He stared at the ceiling window, craning his neck a little. His thoughts went back to Kaiba, and Kazuo. As he closed his eyes, he felt calmness coming over him. He wasn't alone. He had Atemu, his mother, his family. He had friends he could ask for help and support. Kazuo had opened up to him, if only a little. Problems had arisen, but he had faith he could help his son, that it would be all right, somehow, sooner or later. If Kaiba Seto could learn a life lesson at a later age, so could Kazuo. A soft smile tugging at his lips, Yuugi fell asleep.